Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001: Overseas Provisions

Lord Hylton: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether prosecutions for bribery are pending or expected under the overseas provisions of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I understand that the SFO is currently investigating a number of allegations of bribery of a foreign public official. However, no charges have so far been brought under the provisions in Part 12 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 and it would not be appropriate to comment on operations which are currently in progress.

Committee on Standards in Public Life

Baroness Hanham: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What plans they have to implement the recommendation of the Committee on Standards in Public Life that most of the complaints made to the Standards Board for England should be handled locally by the relevant local authorities rather than nationally by the board.

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government's response to the recommendations made by the Committee on Standards in Public Life in its tenth report will be published shortly.

Illicit Trade Advisory Panel

Lord Redesdale: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the Illicit Trade Advisory Panel has been convened by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport since November 2004; and what are their plans for this panel in the light of the review which the panel was due to have carried out in September 2005.

Lord Davies of Oldham: The Illicit Trade Advisory Panel last met on 23 November 2004. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is currently considering the options for the future role of the panel.

Iraq: Prosecution of Trooper Williams

Lord Marlesford: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the case of Trooper Williams, on which date or dates (a) the Attorney-General asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider the case; (b) Corporal Blair made each of his three statements to the Metropolitan Police; (c) the transcripts of each of the three statements of Corporal Blair were seen by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Attorney-General respectively; (d) the Director of Public Prosecutions decided that Corporal Williams should be charged with murder; (e) Mrs Justice Hallett heard the case and gave her judgment; (f) the Director of Public Prosecutions informed the Attorney-General that he had concluded that there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction; and (g) the decision was announced not to offer any evidence against Trooper Williams.

Lord Goldsmith: The case papers were formally referred by me to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on 6 May 2004, with a request that they consider whether a prosecution should be instituted against Trooper Williams for murder or manslaughter.
	Corporal Blair made statements to Army investigators on 5 August and 21 August 2003. He was interviewed by the Metropolitan Police Service, on 27 July 2004. A further statement was drawn from that interview, dated 28 July 2004.
	I saw the statements of 5 and 21 August 2003 on 5 May 2004. I also saw the statement of 28 July 2004 on 21 September 2004. I did not see the transcript of the interview that was the basis of that statement until 14 March 2005.
	The DPP saw the first two statements on 12 May 2004. He saw the third statement on a date unknown, before the decision to prosecute was taken. Records indicate that the transcript of the interview was first formally received into his private office on or about 21 February 2005 but the DPP believes that he discussed this material with counsel prior to 21 February 2005 on a date unknown. The DPP did not, however, see the transcript of the interview until well after the decision to prosecute had been taken.
	The decision to prosecute was formally made by a senior crown prosecutor, not the DPP, although he concurred in it. She decided that there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Trooper Williams and that it was in the public interest to do so on 25 August 2004.
	An abuse of process hearing was held over two days on 21 and 22 February 2005. Mrs Justice Hallett gave her judgment rejecting the defence argument on 23 February 2005.
	The DPP informed me that he had nevertheless concluded that there was no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction on 15 March 2005. He repeated that advice at a meeting on 4 April 2005.
	The decision to offer no evidence was announced in court on 7 April 2005.

Monetary Policy Committee

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they will receive direct applications from those who wish to be considered for membership of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: Section 13(2) of the Bank of England Act 1998 states that the Monetary Policy Committee "shall consist of (a) the Governor and Deputy Governors of the Bank, (b) 2 members appointed by the Governor of the Bank after consultation with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and (c) 4 members appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer".
	Section 13(4) states that "The Chancellor of the Exchequer shall only appoint a person under Subsection (2)(c) if he is satisfied that the person has knowledge or experience which is likely to be relevant to the Committee's functions".
	The Government receive a number of letters on matters relating to the Monetary Policy Committee.

Monetary Policy Committee

Lord Patten: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether they intend to introduce a system of parliamentary scrutiny of those they propose to appoint as members of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee.

Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Treasury Select Committee in the other place regularly holds hearings with persons appointed to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Bank of England and publishes reports on those hearings.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Cosmetics

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How much the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has spent on cosmetics in each of the past eight years.

Baroness Andrews: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) was formed in May 2002 and the department holds no information prior to 2002. Since May 2002 the ODPM has not purchased any cosmetics.

UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What are their intentions regarding the full ratification of the Optional Protocol of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child regarding the military deployment of under 18 year-olds.

Lord Triesman: The United Kingdom ratified the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict without reservations on 24 June 2003.
	The UK lodged an explanatory declaration on the deployment of under 18 year-olds, which is entirely consistent with our obligations under the optional protocol. The full text can be viewed at www.ohchr.org/english/countries/ratification/11–b.htm/reservations.

Valuation Office Agency

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following the postponement of council tax revaluation in England, what work will the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) now be conducting during this period; and whether staff numbers at the VOA will be reduced.

Baroness Andrews: The Valuation Office Agency has a statutory duty to compile and maintain the non-domestic rating list and the current council tax lists for England and Wales for each billing authority area.
	The Government announced on 20 September 2005 the postponement of the council tax revaluation in England in 2007 and the standing down of preparatory work. The Valuation Office Agency is reviewing in the light of this announcement what steps should be taken to capitalise on its preparatory work to date. The immediate impact on staffing is that approximately 400 staff working on casual and fixed term contracts have been given notice to leave the agency and it has also been announced that an early departure scheme for permanent employees will take place.
	Additionally, the agency is responsible for delivering a range of non-statutory valuation and estate surveying services to government departments and the wider public sector and advising Ministers on property valuation matters.

Working Time Directive: Heavy Goods Vehicle Drivers

Lord Bradshaw: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In the case of a heavy goods vehicle driver breaching the permitted hours of duty under the Working Time Directive while in the United Kingdom, what follow-up action is taken by the licensing authority in the offending vehicle operator's country of origin; and whether they have evidence of follow-up action being taken in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Lord Davies of Oldham: Regulations implementing Directive 2002/15/EC came into force earlier this year.
	To date, enforcers have not encountered any breach of the regulations by foreign-based drivers.
	If it were necessary to report a foreign-based driver for breach of these or any other regulations, follow-up action would be a matter for the licensing authority in the offending vehicle operator's country of origin.